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Select > Who • What • When • Where • Which |
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands > 
The first written mention of Amsterdam comes in 1275. In that year Count Floris V granted the people living near the dam on the Amstel River freedom to navigate the waters of the Province of Holland - without paying tolls. This tax-exemption was an important step in a long-standing power struggle. The lands around the Amstel (Amstel-lands) actually belonged to the Bishop of Utrecht, but were ruled on his behalf by the Lords of Amstel. They were threatening to declare independence from the Bishop. Floris V put a stop to this. A separate, independent Amstel-land did not fit in with his plans. And to win the hearts and minds of the population he granted freedom from tolls - a foretaste of the benefits of joining mighty Holland! The ploy worked. The Lords of Amstel were obliged to accept the Count of Holland as their feudal master. But they were not happy about it, and in 1296 they kidnapped and assassinated Floris. Amsterdam duly reverted to the bishopric of Utrecht.
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More on this Website >
• http://www.amsterdam.nl/
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Floris V, Count of Holland
Count Floris V of Holland (1254-1296), the "Keerlen God" (Peasant God), is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland (833-1299). His life... |
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Alteration of Amsterdam, William of Orange
On 26 May 1578, the day on which the so-called Alteration took place, Amsterdam changed from a Catholic city into a Protestant one. In a bloodless revolution, the Protest... |
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Dutch Golden Age
The Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world.... |
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VOC, Dutch East India Company
March 20, 1602, the representatives of the provinces of the Dutch republic, granted a the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) a monopoly on... |
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The Netherlands, EU Fouding Member
The official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers a general description of the Netherlands, together with practical information for foreign nationals intend... |
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